Fly fishing maiden voyage

imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Well after Karstopo's inspiational 8lb bass I purchased my 1st fly rod and finally had decent enough weather to get out n give it whirl. And "whirl" is just the right word to use to describe my experience. Fly line is worse than braid when it comes to grabbing,wrapping, clinging, tangling and blowing in the wind. And a 9 ft rod is not easy to reach the tip when standing waste deep in water to unwrap the line from around guides without soaking the reel under water. I definitely have some learning to do. I also realized really quick that my technique needs some work or I have to get in better shape because being that out of breath after just a few casts can't be right! I also managed a bullwhip cast on about my 3rd or 4th attemp that snapped my fly right off into drink. However, I was able to finally put together a few good casts and felt like I was actually getting the hang of it. I even had a fish grab the fly at one point but I quickly lost it because I really hadn't thought far enough ahead to even know what to do if I actually got something to bite. I didn't set the hook or sweep the rod I just kind of started pulling the line but he was gone by the time I really realized it was a fish. Oh well I'll get this figured out soon (I hope). Im going to watch some videos tonight and maybe try again tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to post some fish pics, probably not an 8lb bass but maybe a bluegill or something....baby steps. Actually I just hope I can get a cast of more than 30 ft.
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kickingback
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by kickingback »

:clap: :clap:
Got to practice and keep the basics in mind at all times. Lefty Kreh has some good books on the subject. I'm still working on distance. Good luck!
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Ron Mc
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Ron Mc »

if it's that much work, you're definitely not letting the rod do the work. Slow down. Let the line straighten out and load the rod before you change its direction.
Did you try roll cast when you got to the water? Most fish are caught at your feet, and beginning fly fishermen trying long, brave casts put fish down.
Try fishing in close instead of casting far away. Get a feel for the line in the rod.
I will admit, moving water is a lot easier for fishing a fly rod than still water.
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

My biggest problem seemed to be not having enough room to work for my level of experience (none). There are a lot of tall weeds and brush along the shore of this particular lake. I thought I would be able to wade out far enough to get away from them but it was too deep. I tried to work parallel to the shore but the wind was a little too strong blowing toward the shoreline and kept blowing my cast back into the weeds. I probably should have walked around the lake to the upwind side but it was late in the evening and a long walk so I opted to stay where I was and try to work thru it. This afternoon if I get to go I'll try to get to an area where I can work with the wind intead of against it. And Ron I did try a roll cast a few times but never really had what I would call a successful attemp. That's something else I plan to work on today. And I did realize that I was going to fast and getting to much of my upper torso involved in the cast which was just wearing me out and creating a lot of unnecessary movement to the rod and line. Like KB said keep it basic and Ron your advice of let the rod do the work are the 2 main things I need to work on. It was a little more overwhelming than I thought it would be but I think a lot of that was being my 1st attemp and dealing with the wind and all the tangles of the weeds. I hope getting the wind in my favor and away from the weeds and brush will help with that. I have no doubt I can eventually get to at least a novice level of fly casting, but it looks like it will take more than 1 evening to do it!

BTW Karst,
My wife wanted me to tell you thanks for getting me hooked on what will undoubtedly be another expensive and time consuming hobby! I told her many very influential people have descibed fly fishing as an art and she's always encourage me to explore the arts! Lol

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karstopo
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by karstopo »

Turn back, it’s not too late!

I’m sorry about the new, expensive hobby. Please apologize for me to your wife. I fool myself all the time that I’m saving money with my cheapo fiberglass models, but then another one shows up on my doorstep. How’d that get there? Or it’s “Look there’s some nice three weight line on sale. I’d better snatch it up before it’s gone”. Wait a minute, I don’t even own a three weight. I can fix that. Don’t even think about getting into tying if you are interested in increasing your savings. Have you priced deer belly hair? I’m going to have to start shooting deer again or scavenge road kill.

I wish I could help you with casting and technique. I had a half wit and total klutz teach me. Anytime the fly gets anywhere near where I want it I go into rapture. Shoreline fly fishing is for dedicated masochists. Unfortunately, that describes me pretty well. About one in ten casts works out. The rest involve some combination of line below the reel getting tangled in the vegetation, the fly getting tangled in the tree behind me, fly getting tangled in the tree in front, fly getting tangled in the rod, etc. and always a generous amount of cursing. If you were to see my shoreline, you would notice a curious lack of Spanish moss hanging from the trees as compared with my neighbors. That’s because I’ve caught about all of it on my fly rod. It puts up a pretty good fight.

Hang loose and don’t ever say I didn’t warn you about fly fishing.
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Ron Mc
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Ron Mc »

actually, you have to treat it as fishing - at least one of the best wild rainbows I've caught was laying across a 45-degree tree trunk over the river and daubing the rod like a cane pole - I promise you Theodore Gordon did just this (and probably used worms from time to time).
I've also daubed the fly in blackwater in the surf for a limit of schoolie specs. Of course this was one of those lifetime dues-paid-up days, when you could see a daisy chain of specs riding every wave crest, and finger mullet were schooling on you for protection.
There's some truth that rote becomes art, and art becomes science.
Get the feel of fish on the rod, any fish - the rest will come.
Work on that roll cast. It's the only thing my girls learned how to do until their curiosity drove them to load the rod in a back-cast and shoot.
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and you may have to find yourself some open spaces to work on the cast part along with the fishing.
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if you want the "idiot's" guide to fly fishing, including how to fish in tight spaces, look for an old copy of the Curtis Creek Manifesto - all the right information presented with a sense of humor.
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Search ... &kn=&isbn=
easily worth the $5
it's going to turn into a library, and this is a good place to begin
hopefully later, your library will include Fly Fishing Northern New Mexico, America's 100 Best Trout Streams, etc...
imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

About one in ten casts works out. The rest involve some combination of line below the reel getting tangled in the vegetation, the fly getting tangled in the tree behind me, fly getting tangled in the tree in front, fly getting tangled in the rod, etc. and always a generous amount of cursing.



This sounds just like my adventure yesterday....too funny, lol

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imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: RE: Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

karstopo wrote:About one in ten casts works out. The rest involve some combination of line below the reel getting tangled in the vegetation, the fly getting tangled in the tree behind me, fly getting tangled in the tree in front, fly getting tangled in the rod, etc. and always a generous amount of cursing.



This sounds just like my adventure yesterday....too funny, lol

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imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Not sure what happened on that last post. Ended up sending twice and neither one posted correctly.

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Ron Mc
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Ron Mc »

I've done that before, try to edit and you end up quoting yourself.

One way to handle working line and keep it off the grass is keeping big coils of line in your line hand, and letting it out a coil at a time when you cast.
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Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Ron Mc wrote:I've done that before, try to edit and you end up quoting yourself.

One way to handle working line and keep it off the grass is keeping big coils of line in your line hand, and letting it out a coil at a time when you cast.
Thats a great tip Ron. I'll definitely try that.

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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Ron Mc »

casting from the deck of a boat, tough to beat a 5-gallon bucket on the deck to contain the line

there's also this silly thing called a shooting basket, but it also works, and adds distance to your cast.
If there's a problem, to fill it when you're stripping line to fish, you have to hold the reel at your sternum to strip line into the basket.
Very handy for white bass fishing, when every cast needs to be 70'
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imaoldmanyoungsalt
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Well I wasn't able to make it out this afternoon. My home chores got the best of me. Looks like tomorrow will be too windy so it may be later in the week before I get to give it another go. I noticed my shoulder is pretty sore today which tells me I must have been using it more than I thought I was. From the videos I've watched the shoulder really shouldn't be involved enough, if at all, to make it this sore.

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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Ron Mc »

nothing should be used enough to make you sore - again, you're not using the rod, and trying to muscle it out - slow down and wait for the rod load. Your line should never make an S in the air - it should be making a C.
In karate kid terms, imagine yourself painting the ceiling with a broomstick.
But you definitely use your shoulder - what you don't use is your wrist.
The line you draw with your rod tip is the exact width of your loop, and if you're using your wrist, your cast is going down on each end instead of just back and forward.
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Slowing down is good advice for sure and I think my line was making more letters of the alphabet than just an S. There probably seldom was a C involved tho so I'll keep that in mind and watch for that too.
Thanks again Ron

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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Ron Mc »

you'll get there, bro.
All the wizards I know are stealth monsters. They spare their casts and catch a fish every 3rd cast, and that's also part of taking your time.
Of course right now, your goal is learn how to cast, but don't forget that learning how to fish with the rod is even more important, and that's where my girls began.
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by salt_fly »

There are many good videos on Youtube about learning how to cast. Watch a few and then go to an open area with short grass (not concrete- will ruin fly line) and practice. One good technique is to pretend you are holding a paintbrush and painting the ceiling. Tip of rod should travel in a straight line (not an arc) with a pause at each end to wait for the line to straighten out and load (bend ) the rod. You can ask someone to video you while you practice and then compare your form to the videos on Youtube. Most beginners try too hard. It's more about timing and technique than using a lot of strength.
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Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Bayoutalker »

imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:About one in ten casts works out. The rest involve some combination of line below the reel getting tangled in the vegetation, the fly getting tangled in the tree behind me, fly getting tangled in the tree in front, fly getting tangled in the rod, etc. and always a generous amount of cursing.



This sounds just like my adventure yesterday....too funny, lol

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Try hooking up with a more experienced caster on the water sometime. A few good tips go a long way when you first get started. Sometimes it is easier to understand when you can see rather than read.
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

salt_fly wrote:There are many good videos on Youtube about learning how to cast. Watch a few and then go to an open area with short grass (not concrete- will ruin fly line) and practice. One good technique is to pretend you are holding a paintbrush and painting the ceiling. Tip of rod should travel in a straight line (not an arc) with a pause at each end to wait for the line to straighten out and load (bend ) the rod. You can ask someone to video you while you practice and then compare your form to the videos on Youtube. Most beginners try too hard. It's more about timing and technique than using a lot of strength.
I did realize pretty quick that timing was the key and patience after the back cast , waiting for the rod to load, was my biggest defeat. I'm still having to remind myself to wait. I want try to make the back cast and forward cast all one fluid motion like casting a conventional rod and reel and can't seem to break that habit. Hopefully with more practice and muscle memory it will become a little more natural. I'm still waiting for some decent weather/wind when I'm off work to give it another shot but hopefully soon. Thanks for the tips!
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Kayak Kid »

I don't remember who said this (heck, I don't even remember what I had for breakfast), but it reiterates what has been said here today:

"A decent fly rod costs quite a bit. Certainly more than other types of light tackle rods. Why? Because it is supposed to do all the work, not the caster".

I bone fish whenever possible. Seventy to eighty ft casts are often a necessity. But, the muscles just ain't co operating as they did when I was younger. As such, I have learned to subtly incorporate my entire body into my casts rather than using only my shoulder and arms. Combining that with using a proper wt rod, as it was designed to be used, keeps me in the game.
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Re: RE: Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Bayoutalker wrote:
imaoldmanyoungsalt wrote:About one in ten casts works out. The rest involve some combination of line below the reel getting tangled in the vegetation, the fly getting tangled in the tree behind me, fly getting tangled in the tree in front, fly getting tangled in the rod, etc. and always a generous amount of cursing.



This sounds just like my adventure yesterday....too funny, lol

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Try hooking up with a more experienced caster on the water sometime. A few good tips go a long way when you first get started. Sometimes it is easier to understand when you can see rather than read.
I have a coworker that's an experienced fly fisher (or at least claims to be). We plan to go together at some point when we're both off at same time and weather is decent so he can give me some pointers. I think that will be the best training I can get. Hands on with someone who can see what I'm doing wrong and correct it.
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

Kayak Kid wrote:I don't remember who said this (heck, I don't even remember what I had for breakfast), but it reiterates what has been said here today:

"A decent fly rod costs quite a bit. Certainly more than other types of light tackle rods. Why? Because it is supposed to do all the work, not the caster".

I bone fish whenever possible. Seventy to eighty ft casts are often a necessity. But, the muscles just ain't co operating as they did when I was younger. As such, I have learned to subtly incorporate my entire body into my casts rather than using only my shoulder and arms. Combining that with using a proper wt rod, as it was designed to be used, keeps me in the game.


Yeah, I kinda wonder if going the cheap route on a "starter' rod reel combo was the right way to go but knowing what I know about my other endeavors I didn't want to buy expensive only to find out it wasn't the right one for me anyway. I figure eventually I will want a more expensive outfit but when that happens I want to buy the right equipment to fit my needs. Of course I probably still won't be satisfied and buy another and another and another until I have as many fly rods as I have bass rods, crappie rods, surf rods, inshore rods, striper rods, baitcasters, spincasters etc, etc, etc..............Thanks again for the addiction Karst!! :P
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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Bayoutalker »

Sometimes buying a less expensive rig works out. Just yesterday I got to try out a new 2wt setup I bought from Amazon. I was pleasantly surprised how well the darn thing cast setup as it came. It even caught a couple of fish! Now it doesn't have a lifetime warranty but for $105 for the complete outfit including the case, fly box and a few flies I figured I couldn't get hurt too bad. It doesn't always work out that way but it sure is nice when it does.

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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by Cigarsnjeeps »

I'm not good enough yet to provide good tips, lol, but another option if you have a nearby Orvis Shop, they offer free classes that are helpful. Also, get out in the yard and put some hula hoops or something out there to cast at. Watching your fly line to make sure its out before your next movement is key.

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Re: Fly fishing maiden voyage

Post by imaoldmanyoungsalt »

I made it out to the small lake by my house today between rainstorms for a little practice and I think I'm getting the hang of it. My timings getting better as well as my technique I think. I even managed a few small bass. No 8lbers but its a start. I was even making some pretty good casts directly into the wind. I think I'm gonna like this!
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